The Small Hours
by ceasarette
Summary: Beca wanted to take her time in answering again. She wanted to think about it, to lie and say she doesn't remember anything past the first shot of tequila. But she looked at Chloe and she forgot all about it. "God, you're beautiful."


Beca Mitchell belongs to the part of the population who are not morning people. She finds mornings challenging and her first thoughts every single morning are usually between begging for five more minutes, or wanting to rip out the wire of her alarm clock.

This morning, however, was different. Her senses woke first, before she was even aware of it. It was warm in her bed this morning, she's not really sure why just yet. But she likes it. The deep and relaxed breathing of someone registered next, and she could feel that warm breath on her skin. For some reason that makes her smile in her sleep. When she copied the rhythm of that deep breathing, the scent of something subtle and sweet and familiar filled her body. Her groggy mind didn't ask any questions, but decided that it wanted more of that scent so Beca shifted until a warm body touched hers. Automatically, Beca snaked her arm around that soft body, pulling it close to her, her nose burrowing into thick hair as she greedily inhaled that sweet scent.

Thick hair. Soft body. Sweet scent. Sweet, familiar scent. Slowly, she opened one eye to peek and was met with a tangle of red hair. She froze, barely suppressing a groan as she struggled to remember. She relaxed when she realized that she was still fully clothed, as much as she can tell, and that the body next to her was still sleeping. She tried to think, tried to convince herself to move and disentangle herself from the sleeping body, but finds that she really doesn't want to. She tried to ask herself why she wasn't panicking about this, but she was too comfortable to care. She waited a few more minutes to make sure that her bed mate is still sound asleep, before she pulls the body closer, her nose finding the source of that scent again, and breathing deeply.

The panic came when a soft hand covered hers, thumb stroking over her knuckles before pulling her close so that her body came flushed with the one next to her. Beca tensed when she felt the hand grip hers, before she realized that the other woman linked their fingers together.

"I didn't realize you're a cuddler." Chloe's hoarse voice broke the tensed silence.

Beca spent a long time thinking of a reply, so Chloe shifted to lie on her back, making sure their fingers are still linked together. "I didn't, either." Beca finally answered honestly.

They lay like that for a while, not moving and trying to come up with something to say. "How much do you remember?" Chloe finally broke the silence.

Beca wanted to take her time in answering again. She wanted to think about it, to lie and say she doesn't remember anything past the first shot of tequila. But she looked at Chloe and she forgot all about it. "God, you're beautiful." Her eyes widened when she realized that she said it out loud, but was glad she did when she saw Chloe blush, a shy smile coming to her lips. Suddenly feeling self-conscious, she cleared her throat. "Everything. I remember everything." This time it was her turn to smile. "I think." She added when she felt the air grow heavy with tension, making a show of checking under the covers to make sure her initial assessment was correct - it was, they were still fully clothed.

Chloe playfully swatted her hand and Beca giggled - she giggled! Chloe let out a nervous laugh, before saying, "Me, too. I remember everything, too."

It was regionals the day before. Chloe had surprised the Bellas by showing up at the auditorium, wishing them luck and cheering them on. Afterwards, they had dragged her into the post-competition party and she joined them in celebrating their win. The older woman had made sure to mingle with everyone, spending time with the remaining members of the Bellas as much as the new members. But in between she always came back to Beca, staying by her side as much as she could.

They had grown so much closer even with the distance between them. Since that first call from Chloe when she was frantic, they had exchanged calls and emails, until it because an almost daily fixture in their lives. Chloe talked about her new job and new life, what's it like being a real adult, and a contributing member of society and Beca talked about her new mixes. Chloe gave Beca tips and pointers about running the Bellas, and Beca gives Chloe occasional pep talk when her job starts to drive her crazy.

As the alcohol poured, both women became more and more open and adventurous. Chloe becomes very tactile when she's drunk, and what started out as a simple hand-holding turned into constant hugs until they ended up walking around with their hands around each other. Not that Beca minded, of course. In fact, she encouraged the physical contact. Constantly tugging on Chloe's hand until Chloe wraps it around her shoulders, resting her head on Chloe's while watching people dance and sing.

It was after a much-requested and drunken rendition of "Party in the USA" that Beca blurted out, "You're really fucking awesome, you know that?" Chloe was overwhelmed, and in her drunken haze, rushed to give Beca a tight embrace. "No, no. Really! I mean, you're fucking awesome!" Beca insisted, suddenly wishing she didn't drown her brain in alcohol so she could express herself better. Chloe, already flushed from the alcohol, blushed a deeper shade of red at the compliment.

"You're - you're not so bad yourself, Mitchell." Chloe blamed her drunken state for the stutter. She told herself that it didn't have anything to do with the fact that she is flirting with Beca.

"Really?" The compliment, as off-handed as it was, surprised Beca. She told herself to act cool, but it was impossible.

"Oh my God, Beca! You're like, hot!" Chloe made up for her limited vocabulary due to the alcohol by being effusive. She smiled widely, pleased with herself when she saw Beca blush.

"Wow." Beca said in wonder, appearing to be deeply moved by Chloe's compliment. Chloe was not drunk enough to not worry that she may have gone too far, but her train of thought was cut off when Beca suddenly said, "I really like you, you know."

Automatically, Chloe responded with, "I really like you too, Beca." She smiled at the smaller girl, trying to say that she means it.

Beca smiled for a moment, but the smile fell when she thought of something. "No! I mean, I really like you. Like, like you, like you." The frustration got the better of her, and Beca uncharacteristically stomped her foot.

Chloe couldn't herself from melting at the sight of Beca stomping her foot, the girl was adorable. "Oh." She said when she finally caught up with Beca's confession.

"Yeah." Beca was triumphant that she stumped the older woman, smiling smugly despite the butterflies in her stomach that had nothing to do with the alcohol. "Oh." She repeated when she couldn't come up with anything else to say.

Chloe cleared her throat before saying, "I like you, too. I mean, I like you, like you too, Beca."

"What? No! You're just saying that!" Beca responded, not really sure why she's making a big deal of it, just that it's important that Chloe knows it is important.

"No, I'm not! I really do like you!" Chloe was effusive again, clutching at Beca's hands, desperate for Beca to believe her. If it wasn't for the fact that both women are clearly drunk, it would have made a dramatic scene.

"Since when?" Beca challenged.

That stopped Chloe. It was difficult enough to pinpoint when she started liking Beca, much more when her body is filled with alcohol. "I think…. I think when you didn't come back to Bellas after spring break." She said nervously. "But I didn't know it then!" She added hastily, not knowing why she felt compelled to do so.

"Wow." Beca said, and Chloe was glad it wasn't just her who was having a difficult time with words. "Really?"

"Really." Chloe said seriously, looking deep into Beca's glazed eyes.

"Why didn't you say so before?" Beca suddenly asked.

"Well, why didn't YOU say so before?" Chloe countered. They looked at each other, challenge clear on their faces, before bursting into giggles. They fell into each other in their hysterics, arms automatically wrapping around each other. After that, they spent a good part of the hour giggling like pre-pubescent girls, much to the amusement of everyone around them.

"I really want to kiss you." Beca suddenly said when their laughter died down. She automatically pulled Chloe nearer when the redhead licked her lips in anticipation. She was stroking Chloe's face before she remembered that she had more to say. "Wait!" She pulled back, giving herself some distance from the temptation that is Chloe's lips. Beca questioned her sanity when she saw Chloe pout. She shook herself to clear her head, and heard Chloe giggling again. "Wait. I really want to kiss you." She squeezed Chloe's hands in hers. "But I think we should wait. You know, just to be sure." Chloe's pout was replaced by a gentle smile and Beca knew she made the right decision. "I mean, I am sure. Very sure."

"Me too. I'm sure, too." Chloe responded with all the sincerity her drunkenness can spare her.

"I know." Beca said softly. "But to be absolutely, positively sure…"

"Yeah." Chloe responded simply, nodding and smiling at the brunette to let her know she understood.

Beca and Chloe stayed still in the bed, wrapped in each other's arms while they revisited the events of the previous day. Beca's initial panic was gone, assured by Chloe's relaxed state that their closeness was welcomed.

"So…" Beca finally broke the silence.

"Beca, wait." Chloe said as she moved to face the smaller girl fully. She felt Beca tense and she scooted closer, keeping a firm hold on Beca's hand. "Relax. I just wanted to thank you. For last night." She can see Beca's walls start to come up and she hurried. "I mean, for being mature enough. I wouldn't have regretted anything if something happened last night, but I'm glad we waited. Thank you for, you know, not taking advantage of the situation." Chloe let out a sigh of relief when she saw Beca relax, and she reached out and cupped her cheek. "And for the record, I meant every word that my drunken brain came up with."

Chloe felt her heart skip a beat when Beca smiled at her confession. "Good. Coz as far as drunken confessions goes, that one was epic. I wouldn't change a thing." She knows she must sound ridiculous, but couldn't bring herself to care.

"Beca?" Chloe whispered, there was an air of nervousness around her as she shifted in the bed again, her fingers still holding on to Beca's.

"Yeah?" Instinct made Beca whisper, too.

"We're not drunk anymore."

"No, we're not drunk anymore." Beca smiled at that.

"And I'm still sure."

"Me too."

"So what are you waiting for?"

The next sound that came from either of them was a soft sigh when their lips finally met.


End file.
